Hair Hacks: 10 Tricks for Growing Longer, Stronger + Healthier Hair

Do you look longingly at hair tutorials online and think, “If only I had more hair?” If you’ve ever wished you had longer or stronger hair to twist into high fashion braids or hair bows, or if you are getting super frustrated by your own locks… fret no more! These 10 easy, inexpensive solutions have been proven to help grow your hair longer, thicker and faster than you ever thought possible!

1. Be Picky About Products: Using the wrong products, or too many different kinds of products, can be damaging to your hair. Ask your hair stylist to recommend products that don’t just cover up, but style and nourish, too. (via Brit + Co)

2. Vitamin B: The B vitamins (B6 + B12, folic acid) also play a key role in hair growth, and deficiencies have been linked to hair loss in people of all ages. Since the body can’t produce these naturally, your best bet is to get them from foods like meat and seafood. Believe it or not, clams are a superfood known to be one of the highest in vitamin B. (via Good Housekeeping)

3. Vitamin D ($12): Certain vitamins have a direct impact on hair growth in young women. Vitamin D can be found in foods like dairy products and salmon, or from vitamin supplements. It’s also produced naturally by your skin when it’s exposed to sunlight.

4. Omega Oils ($18 and up): Fish and flaxseed oils are both packed with Omegas, the essential fatty acids. They nourish the lipid barrier in skin and can also help to keep hair moisturized. Less breakage and shinier hair? Count us in.

5. Hydrating Treatment ($15): Sometimes it’s not enough to put things into your body — the best results come from how you treat your hair. Protecting your ends from splitting will allow you to go longer between trims and will also make your hair look fuller and shinier.

6. Heat-Protective Styling Tools ($140): Letting your hair air dry most of the way before blowing it out, or loosely drying your hair from six to eight inches away, can prevent the damage caused by heat styling. If blow drying is a must, opt for an ionic dryer that will cut down on heat exposure and pulling.

8. Rogaine ($43): Ever wonder how this stuff works? It basically opens up the pores in the hair follicle that absorbs nutrients. More nutrients means those follicles can work harder to produce good hair.

9. Pack in the Protein: Since hair is made up of mostly protein, making sure you’re getting enough is essential for reaching your hair growth goals. Aim for 20 to 30 grams per meal, what you’d get from a 4 oz piece of lean salmon. (via Brit + Co)

Dena writes about beauty/fitness/fashion/inspiration on her blog Dena Julia. When she's not working out, playing with her hair or taking pictures of her dog, she works to create beautiful solutions to life problems of all sizes, like Standbuy, a platform to help people through the financial burden of cancer.